Characteristics Size

Bacteria 0.2 1.5 microns diameter 3 5 microns in length

Fungi

Yeast 3-5 micrometer in diameter

Parasite

Algae

Virus 0. 01-0.3 micrometer in diameter

Shape

Bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals.

Oval shape

Have wide variety of shapes

The shapes of viruses range from simple helical and icosahedral forms to more complex structures.

Unicellular/Multicellular

Unicellular

Can be unicellular or multicellular

Unicellular

Eukaryotic parasites are Unicellular and others are multicellular

neither unicellular or multicellular. They are acellular

Prokaryotic/Eukaryotic Cell Wall

Prokaryotic Bacterial cell wall material is peptidoglycan

Eukaryotic Composed primarily of chitin

Eukaryotic

Eukaryotic

Eukaryotic Composed of cellulose Consist of either DNA or RNA but not both and surrounded by protein coat

Growth and reproduction

Bacteria grow to a fixed size and then reproduce through binary fission, a form of asexual reproduction

Can reproduce sexual or asexual

Can reproduce asexual

Can reproduce sexual or asexual

Can reproduce both sexual and asexual

They are obligate intracellular parasites that require host cells for replication